In an interview with the CBC, Prof. John Pomeroy has suggested that the decision to rebuild homes in Fort McMurray’s Waterways subdivision following the fire of May 2016 may be setting-up residents for further disruption in years to come.

While this option for Fort McMurray’s oldest subdivision was preferred by a majority of residents, Prof. Pomeroy points-out that while changing climatic conditions may in some cases cause unusually dry conditions (as they did in the spring of 2016, thereby creating conditions for the fire to take hold), they are also predicted to result in a greater likelihood of flooding due to sudden snowmelt or major storms. It follows that those who lost their homes due to the fire, and wish to stay on in this known floodplain, are redoubling the risk of further losses as a result of future natural disasters.

The interview is reported in detail here.